PL launches appeal to governments of EU members states

The Liberal Party Liberal (PL) calls on the governments of the EU member states to show loyalty towards the Moldovan citizens that will be on their territories on April 5, 2009, Info-Prim Neo reports. “We ask these countries to facilitate our people’s access to the vote within possibilities and ensure their movement to the polling places set up by Moldova in the given states,” the candidate on behalf of the PL Oleg Bodrug told a news conference on March 10. On March 7 and 8, a PL team headed by Dorin Chirtoaca, the vice president of the party, and Oleg Bodrug took part in a series of meetings with Moldova people settled in the Italian towns of Rome, Bologna and Padova. The PL team ascertained that the Moldovans residing abroad are not protected by the Moldovan authorities and meet difficulties in obtaining minimum rights, Dorin Chirtoaca said. “They find it difficult to legalize their passports and to contact the embassy and consulate of Moldova in Italy as their phone calls are not answered. They are not satisfied with the fact that when they go home on visit they have to pay money at every step,” the PL vice president said. He also said that the Moldovan citizens are indignant at the fact that they can vote only at two polling places – in Rome and in Bologna – which have a maximum capacity of 10,000 people, while the number of Moldovans in Italy varies between 200,000 and 300,000. “The people that are abroad want to come home, but they realize that the situation in Moldova should change so that they could have a better future in their motherland. They live in a democratic European country and see very well the difference,” Dorin Chirtoaca said. “We condemn the fact that the ruling party, PCRM, did not take measures to make sure that our citizens living abroad could take part in the ballot. The Government places obstacles to them when they are abroad or return home,” said Ion Negrei, the spokesman for the PL. According to official data, there are 630,000 Moldovans abroad. But the parties say this figure amounts to 1 million.